


Storge

by SocialBookWorm



Category: Phineas and Ferb
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Inspired by Orpheus and Eurydice (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Possible co-dependence, Referenced Car Accident, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25196311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SocialBookWorm/pseuds/SocialBookWorm
Summary: Storge is a wide-ranging force which can apply between family members, friends, pets and owners, companions or colleagues; it can also blend with and help underpin other types of tie such as passionate love or friendship.Thus storge may be used as a general term to describe the love between exceptional friends, and the desire for them to care compassionately for one another. (Wikipedia)Or: There's very little that Ferb wouldn't do for Phineas, and he thought everyone knew that by now.
Relationships: Ferb Fletcher & Phineas Flynn
Comments: 8
Kudos: 103





	Storge

Ferb knew his fingers dug into Phineas' hand but he couldn't bring himself to loosen his grip. Though with the way that Phineas clutched at his arm hard enough to bruise in turn, it might not have been a problem. Ferb had only just found his brother again; he wasn't going to let go any time soon.

"Really now-" Death shuffled a few papers in front of themself and Ferb tried not to tense even further. He would have expected them to be wearing all black, but it seemed Phineas had been busy the short time he had been dead. The teal and purple of their cloak certainly brightened the place up significantly. Ferb especially appreciated the little platypi that dotted all over the fabric.

"You can't expect me to just break the rules for someone that very clearly died," Death continued. They paused. "Especially not when Phineas here has not only reworked our entire system to be more efficient, but entertaining as well."

Ferb knew that he could say several things in order to respond to that. He could argue that reworking the system meant that Phineas had earned a second chance at life. Out of anyone, Phineas would make the most of a second chance no matter how long or short that it ended up. He could threaten; Ferb figured that given enough time he could figure out how to beat even death. Physically and metaphysically. There were centuries of legends of people making deals with Death for loved ones that he could use to debate.

What came out of his mouth was-

“Please.”

Death still and their hood tilted in a way that reminded Ferb of someone looking down at him. He and Phineas were young, but after so long of pulling off the impossible Ferb had almost forgotten what it was like to be judged by his age. He shifted just slightly as if putting himself between Phineas and Death would actually manage to do anything in this situation.

Phineas squeezed his hand.

“I mean, it really has been an adventure Mx. Death,” Phineas added, “But Mom and Dad will start to worry if we don’t get home soon.”

“Phineas,” Death said, voice soft and gentle. “You _are_ home now.”

“It doesn’t have to be though,” Phineas argued. His voice carried strong even in moments when Ferb’s would have cracked. “Ferb made a good point. There are a ton of legends about cheating death or making a deal with death or otherwise bringing someone back to life. It’d be a great end to this sort of story!”

Death’s head tilted to the side. Their fingers tapped against their desk. Ferb held his breath. He didn’t know how to say that if Phineas wasn’t going home; he wouldn’t either. Home wasn’t home without his brother. They were Phineas _and_ Ferb, as Phineas liked to tell people. You couldn't have one without the other. Not really. They left here together, or not at all.

“Ferb made a good point,” Death repeated slowly, almost as if they were tasting the words. “But he didn’t say anything. Not really.”

“Ferb’s more of a man of action,” Phineas said, cheerful as if his grip on Ferb’s arm didn’t tighten even more. As if he didn’t spend several nights ranting about people’s reaction to Ferb’s lack of words. “He doesn’t need words to get his point across.”

“Doesn’t he?”

“No,” Phineas said, an edge making its way into his voice. Ferb’s chest swelled with gratitude and fear. Now wasn’t the time to pick a fight. “He doesn’t.”

“Very well then.” Death nodded their head. “Phineas may leave-” Phineas let out a triumphant whoop and Ferb felt a grin stretch across his face- “on one condition.”

They both froze.

“Are you both aware of the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice?”

“A commonly known Greek myth, in which a man fails to bring his love back to life because of a lack of trust,” Ferb said. Phineas relaxed next to him.

“Oh, well, that’s simple enough,” Phineas grinned at him. “Trust is-”

“Not quite what I’m going for,” Death cut in. “I am well aware that you two trust each other. Instead.” Death straightened some of their paperwork. “It won’t be a challenge of Ferb not looking behind himself. Instead, all I ask is that Ferb speaks the entire way back.”

“What-!”

“Very well.” Ferb inclined his head as Phineas just about exploded. Phineas turned to look at him, all but vibrating in his anger. It was a difficult request but not a hard one. Or perhaps it was a hard request but not a difficult one? Ferb would have to debate the connotations and nuances with Phineas once they got home.

Phineas’ eyes narrowed. He bit his lip and his tongue as Ferb stared steadily back at him. Phineas threw his hands in the air, and Ferb grinned again. Another victory for the Ferb-master.

“Fine. Fine!” Phineas waved a finger in front of his face and Ferb tracked its progress back and forth.”But don’t think that we’re not going to talk about this when we get home- stop that! Don’t give me that face!” Phineas shoved at his arm and Ferb felt his grin grow wide enough to split his face.

For the first time since the car accident, all felt right with the world.

“Can we ask you a few questions Mx. Death?” Phineas asked. At Death’s nod, he was off. It almost reminded Ferb of the first time they found an adult willing to talk to them about physics. Poor Ms. Ryer. They had to build something in order to have her face make an expression other than overwhelmed.

“At what point do we count as back? What counts as talking? Can Ferb just recite the Fibonacci sequence? What if he takes a break to breath? What-”

Ferb closed his eyes and leaned against Phineas’ side. It hadn’t been that long since Phineas died, but things moved fast in Danville. That would be a good place to start, or with all the things their friends wanted him to pass along. Ferb didn’t have many words, but he didn’t think he’d fail.

(Worst comes to worst, he could just recite the Fibonacci sequence.)

* * *

Sadly, reciting the Fibonacci sequence didn’t count. Ferb debated filing a complaint before shrugging and letting it go.

After all, Phineas gave him plenty to talk about.

* * *

They stood hand in hand in the doorway. Death hovered behind them, but the road home stretched out ahead of them.

“You ready?” Phineas asked.

Ferb nodded and as they stepped forward, opened his mouth. He didn’t have a lot of experience in letting his mouth wander with his mind like Phineas but he did know one thing that had bothered him for a while.

“You know, not everywhere has a summer vacation that lasts one hundred and four days. In Japan for example, they only have forty days-”

* * *

“-it will be rather difficult to continue as we have as we grow older, and the more I think about it the less I want this summer to end-”

* * *

“-we really should make finding Perry one of our adventures these days, where _does_ he go, it seems to have evolved into one of life’s great mysteries-”

* * *

“-I make up a lot of my fun facts-”

* * *

Ferb’s voice cracked, and Phineas leaned against him. Ferb leaned back and took a moment to thank him. It felt different from their usual form of communication but the smile Phineas gave him stayed the same.

* * *

“-it mystifies me how you still can’t tell what Isabella means when she says that she likes you, she hasn’t been the subtlest of people-”

Ferb stumbled as sunlight cut across his eyes. Wind brushed against his face and he let out a slow breath. He wrapped his fingers around Phineas’ once more and the sun had nothing on the grin on Phineas’ face. Ferb swallowed around his dry throat and grinned back.

“Welcome home Phineas,” he croaked out. Phineas slammed a hug into his side, and the two of them toppled over into the grass. Ferb laughed with Phineas and buried his face in his brother’s neck, listening to the pulse that beat there, strong and steady.

“Hey Ferb! I know what we’re going to do tomorrow!”

* * *

“Moooooooom! Ferb brought Phineas back to life!”


End file.
